Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks are a standard type of network for wireless communication of high-speed data. LTE networks are based upon previous network technologies and are now used by many wireless carriers in North America and around the world. LTE networks are intended to have end-to-end quality of service (QoS) metrics.
In LTE networks, the quality of service data is provided on Evolved Packet Core Services (EPS) bearers. An EPS bearer is a virtual connection between a user's network equipment and a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW).
An EPS bearer is characterized by:                A set of QoS parameters, often referred to as a QoS Class Index (QCI), which describe the type of service using EPS bearer. Types of service include, for example, conversational voice, streaming video, signaling, best effort, etc. Inside each EPS node, for example, the Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW), the Serving Gateway (SGW), eNodeB, and the like, the QCI points to more detailed pre-configured QoS attributes, for example, maximum delay, residual error rate, etc. These QoS attributes characterize the type of transport service provided by the EBS bearer;        A flow specification that describes the maximum bitrate (MBR) and/or guaranteed bitrate (GBR) of the aggregate traffic flow through the EBS bearer; and        A filter specification that describes the traffic flows, in terms of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, protocols, port numbers, etc., for which the transport service is provided between the two endpoints.        
However, conventional traffic differentiation in LTE networks is basic and based on classification criteria of Internet Protocol (IP) 5 tuples (5 main fields that are used to differentiate IP packets). This conventional traffic differentiation does not necessarily match today's applications. Generic classification techniques based on Destination IP address, Source IP address, Source or Destination Ports, or IP protocol, etc. are limited in their ability to differentiate traffic as the inspection of the packets is limited to the IP and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) headers only. The conventional approach is too limited because many protocols (and therefore types of service) of interest to LTE network operators utilize arbitrary ports, may automatically change port numbers and may shift between TCP and UDP protocol.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide improved systems and methods for managing network traffic and quality of service of network traffic.